David Schwimmer
Biography
David Lawrence Schwimmer, also known as David Lawrence Schwimmer Snaro, is an American actor and director of television and film. He was born in New York City, New York, on November 2, 1966. When he was two years old, his family moved to Los Angeles. He began his acting career performing in school plays at Beverly Hills High School and later graduated from Northwestern University in 1988 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater and speech. Following graduation, he co-founded the Lookingglass Theatre Company and spent much of the late-1980s living in Los Angeles as a struggling, unemployed actor. His television credits include an appearance in the 1989 television movie A Deadly Silence, as well as roles in L.A. Law, The Wonder Years, and NYPD Blue.
Career overview
David Lawrence Schwimmer is an American actor and director of television and film. Born in New York City, New York, on November 2, 1966, he moved with his family to Los Angeles when he was two years old. He began his acting career performing in school plays at Beverly Hills High School and later attended Northwestern University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater and speech in 1988. Following his graduation, Schwimmer co-founded the Lookingglass Theatre Company. For much of the late-1980s, he lived in Los Angeles as a struggling, unemployed actor.
His early television work included an appearance in the 1989 television movie A Deadly Silence. Following this, he appeared in a number of television roles, including L.A. Law, The Wonder Years, and NYPD Blue. Throughout his career, Schwimmer has accumulated eighty-six known credits in acting across film and television.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- Goosebumps: The Vanishing (2025) as Anthony Brewer
- Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy (2025) as Self (archive footage)
- Little Death (2024) as Martin Solomon
- Extrapolations (2023) as Harris Goldblatt
- Captain Fall (2023)
- The Fringe, Fame and Me (2022) as Self
- David Baddiel: Jews Don't Count (2022) as Self
- Friends: The Reunion (2021) as Self
- Friends: The Reunion (2021) Executive Producer
- Intelligence (2020) as Jerry
- Intelligence (2020) Executive Producer
- Mysterious Planet (2020) as Narrator
- The Laundromat (2019) as Matthew Quirk
- The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan (2019) as Self
- Friends 25th: The One with the Anniversary (2019) as Ross Geller
- The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer (2018) as Self - Guest
- The Big Narstie Show (2018) as Self
- National Theatre Live: LOVE (2018) Executive Producer
- That's Harassment (2018) as Boss
- That's Harassment (2018) Executive Producer
- Will & Grace (2017) as Noah
- American Crime Story (2016) as Robert Kardashian
- Feed the Beast (2016) as Tommy Moran
- Must See TV: An All Star Tribute to James Burrows (2016) as Self
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015) as Self
- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (2014) as Self
- Growing Up Fisher (2014) Director
- Madly Madagascar (2013) as Melman (voice)
- Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012) as Melman (voice)
- John Carter (2012) as Young Thark Warrior
- The Iceman (2012) as Josh Rosenthal
- National Lampoon's Another Dirty Movie (2012) as Self (uncredited)
- Dreamworks: Holiday Classics (2012) as Melman (voice)
- Episodes (2011) as David Schwimmer
- Web Therapy (2011) as Newell L. Miller
- Trust (2010) Producer
- Trust (2010) Director
- Come Fly with Me (2010) as Himself
- Merry Madagascar (2009) as Melman (voice)
- Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) as Melman (voice)
- Little Britain USA (2008) Director
- Nothing but the Truth (2008) as Ray Armstrong
- The Graham Norton Show (2007) as Self
- The Graham Norton Show (2007) as Self - Guest
- Run Fatboy Run (2007) Director
- 30 Rock (2006) as Greenzo / Jared
- Big Nothing (2006) as Charlie
- The Reichen Show (2005) as Self
- Madagascar (2005) as Melman (voice)
- Duane Hopwood (2005) as Duane Hopwood
- New Car Smell (2005) Director
- Entourage (2004) as David Schwimmer
- Joey (2004) Director
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003) as Self
- Celebrity Poker Showdown (2003) as Self
- NBC 75th Anniversary Special (2002) as Self
- Band of Brothers (2001) as Herbert M. Sobel
- Uprising (2001) as Icchak 'Antek' Cukierman
- Uprising (2001) as Icchak 'Antek' Cukierman
- The Making of 'Band of Brothers' (2001) as Self
- Hotel (2001) as Jonathan Danderfine
- Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000) as David Schwimmer
- Love & Sex (2000) as Jehovah's Witness
- Picking Up the Pieces (2000) as Father Leo Jerome
- All the Rage (1999) as Chris
- Six Days Seven Nights (1998) as Frank Martin
- Apt Pupil (1998) as Edward French
- Since You've Been Gone (1998) as Robert S. Levitt
- Since You've Been Gone (1998) Director
- The Thin Pink Line (1998) as Kelly Goodich / J.T.
- Kissing a Fool (1998) as Max Abbitt
- Kissing a Fool (1998) Executive Producer
- The View (1997) as Self
- Breast Men (1997) as Dr. Kevin Saunders
- Happy Birthday Elizabeth: A Celebration of Life (1997) as Self
- The Daily Show (1996) as Self
- E! True Hollywood Story (1996) as Self (archive footage)
- The Pallbearer (1996) as Tom Thompson
- The Single Guy (1995) as Ross Geller
- Friends (1994) as Ross Geller
- Friends (1994) Director
- Monty (1994) as Greg Richardson
- Wolf (1994) as Cop
- Twenty Bucks (1993) as Neil Campbell
- The Waiter (1993) as Evil Waiter
- Crossing the Bridge (1992) as John Anderson
- Flight of the Intruder (1991) as Duty Officer
- A Deadly Silence (1989) as Rob Cuccio
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark (1988) as Self - Guest
- The Wonder Years (1988) as Michael
- L.A. Law (1986) as Dana Romney
- L.A. Law (1986) as City Attorney Dana Romney
- Entertainment Tonight (1981) as Self
- Saturday Night Live (1975) as Self - Host
- A Sprinkle of History as Bill Rosenberg